That was fast…
Yesterday, we told you that the Real ID deadline was fast approaching. Well, US officials must have felt that the May 3rd, 2023 deadline was still too close and pushed it back another two years. Now, flyers won’t need Real ID-compliant licenses to board domestic flights until 2025.
When is the new deadline?
The Real ID Act will not be enforced until May 2025, according to The Department of Homeland Security.
The DHS pointed to “the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic” as the reason for the delay, noting that the pandemic made it difficult for people to obtain licenses or identification cards that are Real ID-compliant. The delay is meant to give states enough time to work through backlogs.
Real ID enforcement has been repeatedly delayed since the original deadline in 2008. And while no one likes going to the DMV, 17 years seems like more than enough time for everyone to upgrade their standard license by 2025.